First Coast Pet

Posts Tagged ‘hyperactivity in puppies’

You have finally brought your new puppy or dog home and are now finding that he is not the quiet, placid little pet you thought he would be. Is he running around like mad chasing his tail, barking like crazy whenever someone knocks at the door or is outside or to your horror chewing away at your favorite pair of shoes. If your puppy or dog is exhibiting any of these behaviors, then he is probably suffering from hyperactivity.

What is important to know is whether your puppy or dog is just being over energetic or is suffering from a condition called true hyperactivity. True Hyperactivity is medical term for an uncommon condition where the dog has frantic behavior, restlessness, panting, and often chasing his tail until he collapses with exhaustion. If you think that your puppy or dog is suffering with this condition then it is advisable to see your vet.

It may be worth noting that your puppy or dog may be hyperactive because that is the way he has been bred. An example is a Collie, a herding dog, which has been bred to have lots of energy to carry out is work. This is why it is so important to check out the specific characteristics of different breeds before you choose one to suit your lifestyle.

It will be a challenge to train your hyperactive dog or puppy, and will take consistent work. Outlined below are some tips which may help you with this.

Firstly, an energetic dog needs exercise in order to expend his excess energy. You can do this by walking your dogs at least twice a day and playing games such as fetch, find and frisbee. This is not only exercise for your dog but also a great way to keep you fit and healthy.

If you find that your dog or puppy is barking excessively and inappropriately, then you should give him a command like “stop” or “cease” in a stern voice. If he carries on barking then pull him away from what he is barking at, e.g. the door, and give a correction such as a sharp tug on his collar. If your puppy or dog is outside and does not stop barking, you should command him to stop through the door and not open it if you are not ready to let him in. If he does not stop then you could try and kick the bottom of your door from the inside. The idea is that the loud noise from the kick will startle your puppy or dog enough to stop barking.

If you find that your puppy or dog is chewing his way through your prize possessions, you should place as many of them as you can out of reach. Pick a few well-chosen sturdy toys for your dog to play with. By playing regularly with these toys with your dog he will have positive associations and will more likely chew these toys rather than your valuables.

Using a crate is a good idea when during those times when you are not interacting with your puppy or dog. Dogs like the comfort of a confined and defined space and this will act like a tranquillizer and quieten him down.

Finally, It is crucial to remember to give a positive reinforcement when your puppy or dog gives a correct behavior and to give a negative reinforcement for an unwanted behavior. Now that you have some techniques on how to train your hyperactive puppy or dog, get out there and start putting them into practice.

Visit my Puppy Training Tips website to read more about training your hyperactive dog and about how to solve other problems such as a digging dog.